| New Osprey Faculty for 2015-16 In addition to our new Head of School, Sean Woytek, we look forward to welcoming the following teachers to our flock next year:
Tina Hott joins the science department, teaching Biology to 10th graders on the heels of her recent work teaching Biology, Chemistry, Science Fiction and Current Events at Mancos High School. Tina received the Outstanding Future Teacher award from Fort Lewis' Education Department and is a nationally ranked collegiate cyclist.
 Ally Johnson joins Stephen Sellers in teaching 10th Grade Humanities. She is excited to join the Osprey community and come home to the Four Corners after completing her master's degree at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education. She began using project-based learning as a Teach for America Corps Member in New Mexico, before designing experiential academic curriculum for Aspiro Adventure in Utah. She was born and raised in Seattle, where she developed a passion for social justice, silent sports done in nature, live music and locavore cooking.
Dan Thurber join us from the Alzar School in Cascade, Idaho, where he held build a semester-long leadership development program for high school students and taught Geometry through Vector Calculus. Dan will teach Algebra 2, and he's excited to bring his passion for outdoor adventure and math to the nest. Our High Tech High connections continue to grow, as we welcome Aliza Cruz to the math department as well. Aliza taught at the HTH Chula Vista campus with Kyle Edmondson, the same campus where our incoming head of school, Sean Woytek has spent the past year. Aliza will teach Geometry. She is looking forward to growing as a practitioner of project-based learning, particularly by sharing her PBL experiences with her new educational community. Prior to being a teacher, Aliza researched explosives and energetics at a naval laboratory in Indian Head, Maryland and she has a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a master's degree in education from the University of San Diego. As a (new but enthusiastic) climber and snowboarder, Aliza can't wait to explore all of the outdoorsy goodness Durango has to offer.  Born and raised in the Texas hill country, Jenny McKenzie spent most of her life surrounded by the Spanish language and we're glad to have her teaching Spanish 1 and 2 next year. Jenny earned a BA in Spanish Language and Literature from Southwestern University in 2004. In 2005, she responded to the call of the mountains and adopted Durango as her new home, where she has worked as a substitute teacher at Durango 9R schools, a widerness therapy instructor at Open Sky, and a Bilingual Family Advocate/Parent Educator for La Plata Family Centers Coalition. Jenny has been teaching middle school and high school Spanish in Ignacio for the past four years.  Britt Gordon, a talented painter who shows frequently in our community, will be teaching Visual Art Electives. She is also the art teacher at Durango Montessori School and is beyond thrilled to share her artistic knowledge with the students and team at AHS. Mark your calendar for her upcoming opening at the Lost Dog on Friday, May 15th from 6:00 to 8:00pm and view Britt's work online at brittgordon.com.
Welcome to the nest, all! |
